FODMAPs and Getting Good with Gut Health

Ever wondered why some foods just don't sit right? Maybe your gut is trying to tell you something. Let’s talk FODMAPS, specifically the low-FODMAP lifestyle and gut health.

What the Heck is a FODMAP?

FODMAP stands for fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides, and polyols. In layman’s terms, they are types of short-chain carbohydrates (sugars) that are either poorly digested or poorly absorbed (if at all). Because FODMAPs aren't easily absorbed, they pull extra water into your intestine and then make their way to the colon, where they're feasted upon by intestinal bacteria, producing gas. This can lead to IBS (irritable bowel syndrome) and/or small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO), which can then lead to abdominal pain, cramping, bloating, constipation, and/or diarrhea, and fatigue. As a result, for those sensitive to foods high in FODMAPs, eating can become a precarious and frustrating experience.

Why Should I Consider a Low FODMAP Diet?

If you find you experience the previous symptoms often, your diet could be one of the culprits. In that case, you might want to consider a lifestyle change in terms of the foods you consume. A low-FODMAP diet might be your ticket to good gut health. If you have been diagnosed with IBS or SIBO, you may be a good candidate for shifting to a low FODMAP lifestyle.

What Does a Low FODMAP Lifestyle Look Like?

The low-FODMAP lifestyle works by first temporarily eliminating specific foods high in FODMAPs for a period of time, giving your digestive system a break and providing you with a chance to figure out which foods harmonize with your body and which ones send it into the pit of despair. It’s a bit like giving your gut a soothing spa day, offering it the chance to heal and balance out your gut flora. Think of it like a restart button for your digestive system.

This means following an assessment diet to start, which is threefold:

• Elimination phase
• Reintroduction phase
• Maintenance phase

First things first - stop eating high FODMAP foods for about 2-6 weeks to give your body a chance to breathe without having to combat the effects of high FODMAPs on the system. After that period of time, you can slowly start to reintroduce a high FODMAP food from each category one at a time, at a rate of one type every 3 days. This allows for any sort of reaction to occur and for you to be able to isolate which foods are causing you issues. The ones that do, bid adieu. The ones that don’t, keep on your menu.

Please note, not everyone who can’t tolerate food high in FODMAPs is triggered by the same foods. You may have an issue with broccoli but not cauliflower, for example, despite both being high FODMAP foods. Or you might have issues with all of them, or just one. You likely won’t know, however, without giving your body a chance to test them all out, one by one.

Not everyone may see improvements during the elimination phase, in which case there is no need to proceed further. However, for those who do, reintroducing foods in a methodical way to identify the true offenders from those that are tolerable is key.

It is not uncommon for individuals to discover that only one or two FODMAP food groups cause issues. Also, sometimes it’s quantity that is more the issue than type of food, meaning you might not tolerate a legume-based salad, but you might tolerate legumes in in very small quantities sprinkled on a salad.

Ultimately, the goal of the low-FODMAP diet is to expand dietary options as much as possible. It is not a weight-loss plan, and it should not be continued beyond 6 weeks maximum. It is merely a means to ascertain if any gut issues you have may be caused by an intolerance to certain high FODMAP foods. If you find that after two weeks your symptoms have not abated, stop immediately, return to eating normally and see a health professional who can help you.

Do not embark on an elimination diet without first consulting your doctor or a certified nutritionist. Because of how strict the initial elimination portion is, you should be monitored and have a plan in place to ensure you get the proper nutrients you need during the first phase and beyond. As with all lifestyle changes, what and how we eat comes down to giving our body the proper nutrients for maximum well-being. Restricting them can have devastating effects on our overall health.

High Versus Low FODMAP Foods

The following is a partial list of high and low FODMAP foods. It’s a good primer to give you a cross-section of what you are eating that might be causing you gastric distress. The crucial question, which is unique to everyone, is whether the diet is effective in alleviating their symptoms. The purpose of this diet is not to eliminate "bad" foods, but rather to determine whether FODMAPs are responsible for your negative gut symptoms. Ideally, once you’ve identified the problem foods, you can then reintroduce as many non-problematic foods as possible without any issues.

High FODMAP foods include:

• Dairy-based milk, yogurt, custard, soy milk (made with whole soybeans), evaporated milk, sweetened condensed milk, and ice cream
• Wheat/rye/barley-based breads, breakfast cereals, biscuits, and snack products
• Certain vegetables, including artichoke, asparagus, cauliflower, garlic, green peas, mushrooms, onion, and sugar snap peas
• Certain fruits, including apples, cherries, dried fruit, mango, nectarines, peaches, pears, plums, and watermelon
• Beans, lentils, and chickpeas
• Processed meats
• High fructose corn syrup, honey, sugar-free confectionery
  
  

Low FODMAP foods include:

• Almond milk
• Corn flakes, oats, quinoa flakes, quinoa/rice/corn pasta, rice cakes (plain), sourdough spelt bread, and wheat/rye/barley-free breads
• Plain cooked meats/poultry/seafood
• Firm tofu and tempeh
• Eggs
• Hard cheeses, brie/camembert cheese, feta cheese, almond milk, lactose-free milk, soy milk (made from soy protein)
• Certain vegetables, including eggplant, bok choy, bell pepper, carrot, potatoes, tomatoes, cucumbers, and zucchini
• Certain fruits, including cantaloupe, kiwi fruit (green), mandarin, orange, pineapple grapes, oranges, strawberries, and blueberries
• Dark chocolate, maple syrup, rice malt syrup, table sugar

If you are interested in a more comprehensive list of foods high in FODMAPs, I recommend you speak to your doctor or a nutritionist. Navigating the path towards a more balanced lifestyle can be a challenge, especially if your body is sensitive or intolerant of FODMAPs. Enlisting the help of a certified nutritionist or doctor who understands the body and can assist you in figuring out if you have certain food sensitivities is key to unlocking better health and improved quality of life overall. In the case of FODMAPs, it’s really a necessity that you have a guide to help you on this journey.

So, what do you say? Ready to tune into a happier gut?